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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
This was a very comprehensive biography on Fred Rogers. I got about three quarters of the way and was having a hard rime finishing, so I downloaded the audiobook and listened to the rest. Working with young children, I often ask myself, “how would Mr. Rogers deal with this situation?” He had a masterful way of explaining things to children in a way they would understand, and put so much thought and effort into each statement during his show. I remember watching his as a kid and I can’t believe how many of his songs have come back to me while reading this biography! I feel like it could have been a little more succinct, but I definitely learned all I would ever want to know about Mr. Rogers.
I wish I could have met him, but from the sound of it Mr. Rogers on TV was Mr. Rogers in real life.
A truly wonderful biography of a wonderful man who touched the lives of millions of children around the world. I cried the ugly cry at the end. Fair warning.
4.5 stars. Would be five, but it was a bit repetitive, especially in the first half. Inspiring to read about such a truly good and caring person as Mr. Rogers, especially given the climate of hate we are living in right now. This book gives me hope that the generation of people raised on his shows will take his lessons to heart and make a difference. Even if you have seen the documentary, this book is worth reading, as it goes into greater depth about his life before and after Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. As a bonus, the audiobook is narrated by Levar Burton.
This book was a fairly comprehensive take on Fred Rogers. If you liked the documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" this is a nice companion/expansion piece.
I noticed other reviews stated that the book has the tendency to repeat itself. I have been listening to this in audiobook format, so initially I had thought there was perhaps a glitch in my download. But no, this book will repeat exact facts from time to time. It didn't bother me like it did other readers, but just something to know.
If you're going to read this, I *highly* recommend the audiobook format. This book is narrated by Levar Burton of Reading Rainbow, which was delightful to listen to. After the epilogue the book begins to play a Mr. Rogers song, which I was not at all expecting and caught me so off guard that I got a little bit emotional listening to it. Finally, the audiobook has an interview with the author at the end. The audio quality of that interview could've been better, but I was just happy to have the extra content.
I think the aspect of the book I appreciate the most, was learning more about Fred's childhood and youth. Learning about him and who he was *before* his television debut is so important to understanding who he became later. His early years so obviously informed who he became as an adult and why. This boy, who grew up in a time where children were to be seen and not heard. Who was so sickly (at best he had asthma and at worst scarlet fever) as a boy. He felt alienated from much of what was around him. Those feelings of childhood clearly stayed with him, and informed his thoughtfulness for the experiences and being of childhood.
I think I will always appreciate, along with many many others, his advice on so many aspects of life. You don't need to be a child to appreciate them. Such as:
"What do you do with the mad that you feel
When you feel so mad you could bite?
When the whole wide world seems oh, so wrong...
And nothing you do seems very right?
What do you do? Do you punch a bag?
Do you pound some clay or some dough?
Do you round up friends for a game of tag?
Or see how fast you go?
It's great to be able to stop
When you've planned a thing that's wrong,
And be able to do something else instead
And think this song:
I can stop when I want to
Can stop when I wish
I can stop, stop, stop any time.
And what a good feeling to feel like this
And know that the feeling is really mine.
Know that there's something deep inside
That helps us become what we can.
For a girl can be someday a woman
And a boy can be someday a man."
I do try to use his lessons with my own child. I don't tell him he can't be mad, or that he can't express anger. I try to have him understand what he can do with the mad that he feels, in a way that won't hurt himself or others.
Now the real conundrum comes as an adult. It could be easy to try and take his lessons and apply them to adulthood. But these weren't exactly meant for us. For example, the ever famous "Look for the helpers," quote from Fred, that is intended for children. It is meant to comfort children, not necessarily adults. For adults, we are the ones who created this environment or world in which "the helpers" are needed, so our responsibility lies elsewhere. At minimum, we as adults should be the helpers, helping a situation or preventing a situation. That is our responsibility.
I think Fred Rogers was a helper, in his own specific way. In the book, it explains that often throughout Fred's life he had doubts that his program was really doing anything, or that it would have a lasting effect/impact. Call me optimistic (I am not a naturally optimistic person by any stretch) but I think that it did, because he is "the helper" children needed.
The fact that PBS reached out to Fred after 9/11 speaks volumes as to how much faith people had in him to speak directly to children about the complicated aspects of life. He was worried that there was nothing he could say to help. But it is more the fact that people *wanted* him too that seemed to matter. People to this day still turn to Mr. Rogers for guidance or solace, as many of his lessons are timeless.
Fred would often close speeches with "All of us have special ones who have loved us into being. Would you just take, along with me, ten seconds to think of the people who have helped you become who you are — those who have cared about you and wanted what was best for you in life? Ten seconds of time. I’ll watch the time... Whomever you’ve been thinking about. . . how pleased they must be to know the difference you feel they’ve made. You know, they’re the kind of people television does well to offer our world." If you ever attempt this exercise, be prepared to get introspective and even a bit teary-eyed by the way. However, I must say that the thing I appreciated most about this book was just getting to learn about *who* this man was and how he *came into being.*
I noticed other reviews stated that the book has the tendency to repeat itself. I have been listening to this in audiobook format, so initially I had thought there was perhaps a glitch in my download. But no, this book will repeat exact facts from time to time. It didn't bother me like it did other readers, but just something to know.
If you're going to read this, I *highly* recommend the audiobook format. This book is narrated by Levar Burton of Reading Rainbow, which was delightful to listen to. After the epilogue the book begins to play a Mr. Rogers song, which I was not at all expecting and caught me so off guard that I got a little bit emotional listening to it. Finally, the audiobook has an interview with the author at the end. The audio quality of that interview could've been better, but I was just happy to have the extra content.
I think the aspect of the book I appreciate the most, was learning more about Fred's childhood and youth. Learning about him and who he was *before* his television debut is so important to understanding who he became later. His early years so obviously informed who he became as an adult and why. This boy, who grew up in a time where children were to be seen and not heard. Who was so sickly (at best he had asthma and at worst scarlet fever) as a boy. He felt alienated from much of what was around him. Those feelings of childhood clearly stayed with him, and informed his thoughtfulness for the experiences and being of childhood.
I think I will always appreciate, along with many many others, his advice on so many aspects of life. You don't need to be a child to appreciate them. Such as:
"What do you do with the mad that you feel
When you feel so mad you could bite?
When the whole wide world seems oh, so wrong...
And nothing you do seems very right?
What do you do? Do you punch a bag?
Do you pound some clay or some dough?
Do you round up friends for a game of tag?
Or see how fast you go?
It's great to be able to stop
When you've planned a thing that's wrong,
And be able to do something else instead
And think this song:
I can stop when I want to
Can stop when I wish
I can stop, stop, stop any time.
And what a good feeling to feel like this
And know that the feeling is really mine.
Know that there's something deep inside
That helps us become what we can.
For a girl can be someday a woman
And a boy can be someday a man."
I do try to use his lessons with my own child. I don't tell him he can't be mad, or that he can't express anger. I try to have him understand what he can do with the mad that he feels, in a way that won't hurt himself or others.
Now the real conundrum comes as an adult. It could be easy to try and take his lessons and apply them to adulthood. But these weren't exactly meant for us. For example, the ever famous "Look for the helpers," quote from Fred, that is intended for children. It is meant to comfort children, not necessarily adults. For adults, we are the ones who created this environment or world in which "the helpers" are needed, so our responsibility lies elsewhere. At minimum, we as adults should be the helpers, helping a situation or preventing a situation. That is our responsibility.
I think Fred Rogers was a helper, in his own specific way. In the book, it explains that often throughout Fred's life he had doubts that his program was really doing anything, or that it would have a lasting effect/impact. Call me optimistic (I am not a naturally optimistic person by any stretch) but I think that it did, because he is "the helper" children needed.
The fact that PBS reached out to Fred after 9/11 speaks volumes as to how much faith people had in him to speak directly to children about the complicated aspects of life. He was worried that there was nothing he could say to help. But it is more the fact that people *wanted* him too that seemed to matter. People to this day still turn to Mr. Rogers for guidance or solace, as many of his lessons are timeless.
Fred would often close speeches with "All of us have special ones who have loved us into being. Would you just take, along with me, ten seconds to think of the people who have helped you become who you are — those who have cared about you and wanted what was best for you in life? Ten seconds of time. I’ll watch the time... Whomever you’ve been thinking about. . . how pleased they must be to know the difference you feel they’ve made. You know, they’re the kind of people television does well to offer our world." If you ever attempt this exercise, be prepared to get introspective and even a bit teary-eyed by the way. However, I must say that the thing I appreciated most about this book was just getting to learn about *who* this man was and how he *came into being.*
Obviously I grew up watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, but it had been years since I thought about it. The descriptions of Fred Rogers throughout the book makes it impossible to not like him. He was humble and genuine and dedicated his life to early childhood education through television. There were some interesting comparisons to Sesame Street, which I never really associated with his show. Oddly, the was no mention of Mr. Dressup who I always felt was a better comparison. This is a long, and at times heavy read, but so interesting. I wonder how much of who I am was shaped by watching Mister Rogers.
Loved it! Listened to the audio version read by LaVar Burton. Did you know Mr. Rogers always weighed 134 pounds?! He was genuinely interested in child education but he studied Music:Piano performance in college. He was an inspired and inspirational man.
I started this audiobook while stuck in rush hour traffic in the pouring rain, and hearing those two beloved voices from my childhood, Mr. Rogers and LeVar Burton (who narrates the audiobook), was so incredibly soothing. A good bit of the four stars given to this book is based on nostalgia; I will listen to stories about Mr. Rogers all day.
As a piece of literature, it is probably more deserving of three stars. This is the first full-length biography of Mr. Rogers, and the author wanted to be comprehensive--but he is definitely TOO comprehensive. For example, we learn about the Native American tribe that was originally settled around Latrobe, PA, where Mr. Rogers was born. This is not significant to Mr. Rogers' life at all. We also learn all about all of the industries in Latrobe, which are also almost entirely insignificant. Then we learn about some of these insignificant details all over again because wow, this book had some issues with repetition.
The pertinent content, though, is pure gold. Tons of fascinating anecdotes, interviews with Rogers' family and coworkers, lots of biographical details, and every bit of it illustrating what an incredible man Mr. Rogers was. The book makes it clear that he wasn't flawless--he was definitely still a human with human faults--but he made it his life's work to be kind and to help children, and he succeeded. I like you just the way you are, Mr. Rogers.
As a piece of literature, it is probably more deserving of three stars. This is the first full-length biography of Mr. Rogers, and the author wanted to be comprehensive--but he is definitely TOO comprehensive. For example, we learn about the Native American tribe that was originally settled around Latrobe, PA, where Mr. Rogers was born. This is not significant to Mr. Rogers' life at all. We also learn all about all of the industries in Latrobe, which are also almost entirely insignificant. Then we learn about some of these insignificant details all over again because wow, this book had some issues with repetition.
The pertinent content, though, is pure gold. Tons of fascinating anecdotes, interviews with Rogers' family and coworkers, lots of biographical details, and every bit of it illustrating what an incredible man Mr. Rogers was. The book makes it clear that he wasn't flawless--he was definitely still a human with human faults--but he made it his life's work to be kind and to help children, and he succeeded. I like you just the way you are, Mr. Rogers.
The audiobook was fantastic. I tried to read the book, but struggled...but listening to LeVar Burton read the book was really pleasant. As other reviewers have said, the writing of this book felt a little rushed, and it was slightly disorganized. Some tidbits were repeated many times, and some aspects of Fred Rogers' life weren't covered as much as I would have liked. (A lot about his childhood, but not very much about his family as an adult.)